By Abdulfatai Kadir (INN), Kwara
In commemoration of the end of year get together for persons with Celebral Palsy, the Ifeoluwa Cerebral Palsy Initiative has called for support to advance the interest of people with cerebral palsy in Kwara State.
In an event held on Saturday, 17th December 2022, organized by the Foundation, Ifeoluwa Anishe, the Founder of the initiative and a person with cerebral palsy, noted that the Foundation is saddled with the responsibility of creating awareness on persons with cerebral palsy not just in Kwara State alone, but in Nigeria as a whole by touching down to every home with cerebral palsy victims through rendering medical and financial support as it may be required.
To achieve the aforementioned, Anishe said “the foundation needs support from every available opportunities, according to him, the organisation needs to legalise the foundation through registration under the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and other statutory agencies of government.
Founder, Ifeoluwa Anishe
“The foundation is a non-governmental organization and the running funds are solely based on donations, gifts, and support from philanthropists and private institutions. With support, the foundation would rent office space in the nearest future with easy access to CP victims across the State.”
Speaking in a presentation on the topic: Needs for Counseling for People with Cerebral Palsy, Dr. Bola Stephen, a lecturer of the Department of Counselling Education, University of Ilorin, disclosed that counseling is a face-to-face interaction between a counselor and a client. Hence, people with cerebral palsy will at one time have problems they can’t handle alone, thereby needing a counselor.
She charged persons with cerebral palsy to accept their challenges and face them and urged the general public to give cerebral palsy people an accessible environment to operate in and educate them.
Dr. Ahmed Popoola from the Department of Guidance and Counseling, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaira, said “this is the kind of gathering that cerebral palsy people are supposed to have and he is happy to lend his voice.”
Speaking further, he said “disability is not a curse but a condition and urged the general public to change their negative attitude towards people with cerebral palsy, adding that people with cerebral palsy need support so they can feel loved and a sense of belonging.”
Mrs. Joy Bolarin, the Executive Director of Jibore Impeccable Foundation, who is also a leader for women and girls with disabilities in Kwara State, admonished people with disabilities not to be discouraged or lose hope despite their condition.
She said “disability does not affect your thinking, you can become all that you want to be.”
The event was climaxed with awards of Excellence to some guests at the occasion.